


Mostly Harmless

by Sassaphrass



Series: Come by me, Lightning! Away to me, Thunder! [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Bliss, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forced Confinement, He plays dumb for Jane though, His secrets have secrets, Meaning: No Hydra, Never Trust Fury, Non-Consensual Drug Use, S.H.I.E.L.D is kind of evil, Thor Is Not Stupid, Thor Learns How to Human, Thor love Jane a lot okay?, Thor: Former Agent of SHIELD, Weather Magic, Written pre-CA: WS, cause that's how you make girls like you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-17
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-01-19 16:52:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1477030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sassaphrass/pseuds/Sassaphrass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thor enjoys his freedom after having escaped from SHIELD custody. He meets Jane Foster and falls in love. He finds that living as a mortal agrees with him. </p><p>Unfortunately, SHIELD isn't about to let the most powerful soldier on earth get away that easy. But, even S.H.I.E.L.D. can't harm a son of Odin without some serious repercussions....</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For those who haven't read the previous work "The Monster in the Basement", you don't really need to. This is (so far) just Thor and Jane being cute. Also, I stole the title from Douglas Adams. I regret nothing. 
> 
> Here's what you need to know:  
> The Dark Elves attacked Asgard, and in 2003 and besiege it. Thor escapes the city in the hopes of one day returning and breaking the siege. He lands in New Mexico and SHIELD finds him. They think he's an escaped supersoldier experiment gone right from some sort of nefarious group. He works for them for a while but they decide he's dangerous and are going to lock him up forever. So, with the help of Clint Barton he runs away. This fic is set around the time Jane is getting her Ph.D.
> 
> *Edit*: New chapter is up, and it is no longer just Thor and Jane being cute. Sorry.

Thor runs with the storms. After so long confined to the narrow dark places of this realm it is a joy without match to be once more free to roam.

 

The Midgardians are clever. They are blind and weak but more clever in their limits than most races are with all their strengths.

 

Thor climbs trains and jumps in cars. He rides great ocean going vessels and travels from one continent to another in planes.

 

He follows the storms from the warm heavy-aired tropics up into the north where the air is so clear it cuts like a knife.

 

Of course, he must abide the rules of the realm. He must live as a mortal. So, he chases the storms until he runs out of coin and then toils in a great city- finding menial labour to which he is resigned.

 

So he earns coin at a 'restaurant' serving food and drink to his city. It is amusing, Mighty Prince Thor, a tavern wench. He doesn't mind, at the end of the day he is free, and any toil is better than the unending hours of tedium that pressed so heavy on him in his room at SHIELD.

 

The people of Midgard amuse Thor as well. Before he had thought Midgardians dull and tiresome, with his friend seeming the sole exception, but in his dealings in the city, he learns that all are as strange and wonderful as the Hawkeyed man Thor had befriended.

 

Particularly a young scholar named Jane Foster who struck him with her vehicle (those foul and cursed objects!) not once but twice as she left the coffee shop adjacent to the restaurant where Thor found employment.

 

She is but a little thing, with light brown hair and dark brown eyes. She smiles like the sun and blushes when Thor comes near. He has taken Midgardians to bed since his escape but he's never had one as a lover. So, he asks the men at his work what he ought to do.

 

There suggestions are lewd and immediately ignored.

 

Thor wishes he could speak to his friend the Hawk. He is sure that Clint would have some sound advice as to Midgardian wooing and he would not ask why Thor does not know these things.

 

But, Clint is far away behind the great concrete wall of the SHIELD and Thor will probably never see him again.

 

So, as is his custom in Midgardian matters, he turns to Erik Selvig for help.

 

He does not expect Erik Selvig to squirt hot coffee through his nose at the mention of her name.

 

“JANE FOSTER?! Tiny little girl, about yeah high, smarter than ten of the average college students put together.”

 

“Yes, if we were to have children, they would be great generals, being both doughty warriors and subtle and cunning of mind.” Thor replies with a far off dreamy look in his eye,.

 

Erik gives out a high pitched squeak. When Thor looks at his him face is bright red and caught somewhere between mirth and horror.

 

“Why do you react so to my question? Have I already broken Midgardian custom in my dealings with her?” Thor asks.

 

“No, Thor, it's just...I knew her father. She is like a daughter to me...”

 

“Oh! Well, it would be a great joy to find you my family in bond as well as spirit.”

 

“...It's just, Thor, I don't want her to get caught up in all that...” he gestured vaguely at the young man sitting across from him.

 

Thor frowns.. “I do not think that gesture means what I think it means...”

 

“I just mean, Thor, you're on the run from a very shady government group, you haven't a clue how to live as an ordinary person, and when you get angry...”

 

Thor looks stricken. “You think I would harm her?”

 

“Not on purpose, but, the thought does cross my mind.”

 

Thor nods and stands. “I did not know you feared me Erik Selvig. Having learned you do, I shall act honourably and remove myself from your presence.”

 

Erik watches Thor walk out of the cafe, his shoulders hunched beneath his light maroon jacket. He stands on the corner and rubs his arms, as if against the cold. Erik knows though that the cold doesn't bother Thor the way it would an ordinary man.

Erik remembers how vehemently Thor had initially refused all of Erik's attempts to buy him proper winter clothing, saying it wasn't right for him to waste money on things that wouldn't make a difference either way.

 

In the present Erik watches as Thor shuffles across the street head bowed, the bangs of his grown out hair falling across his eyes.

 

Erik sighs and stands. He runs out after Thor into the street.

 

“Thor!” he calls and nearly grabs him by the arm before he remembers himself. “Thor! You need to understand, I'm not afraid of you! It's just, she's my little girl and you're...”

 

Thor looks at him blankly. “You do not believe me to be a worthy suitor.”

 

Erik sighs. “I just think she's had enough trouble in her life without getting secret government agencies and indestructible warriors involved.”

 

Thor nods. “Very well.”

 

Erik smiles. “Let's go back in and finish that coffee. Okay? I'll buy you another espresso.”

 

Of course, Jane is unaware of this conversation and has started forgoing the coffee shop in favour of Thor's diner.

 

Thor isn't sure what to do, because there's something warm and soft that uncurls inside him when he looks at her, and it makes him want to both hold her close and keep her far away (he doesn't delude himself that SHIELD remains ignorant to his hideaway, he just presumes they have deemed the danger of recapturing him greater than letting him remain free).

 

But, Jane smiles at him and touches his arm and asks about his trips and....he finds himself looking forward to her visits more than anything else. He doesn't tell Erik Selvig about it but neither does he make any forward attempts to woo her.

 

He's walking her out to her car late one night when she stops and looks up at him.

 

“I'm...not really good at these sorts of things so I'm just gonna ask, do you want to maybe give me your number and we could go to dinner somewhere you don't work?”

 

Thor stares at her opened mouthed and watches as her hopeful face crumbles.

 

“Never mind, forget I said anything, clearly I misread the situation...” she starts to say turning to hurry off to her car.

 

“Wait! No! You misunderstand, it's just...I know Erik Selvig, he has been very good to me and he asked that I not become involved with you...” Thor says.

 

Jane looks furious and starts to walk off “What!? Like I'm not allowed a say in my own life?! You can just decide things for me-”

 

“No!” Thor reaches out and grabs her arm (gently) to keep her from storming off. “It is just that he does not think me worthy of your attentions! My life has been disturbed and difficult of late and he fears I would somehow prevent you from finishing your studies.”

 

Jane still looks angy, but she doesn't try and leave again. “He certainly gives you a lot of credit doesn't he?”

 

Thor smiles sheepishly. “He knows I have quite a talent for causing trouble.”

 

Jane quirks a grin at him. “Well, cause a little more and come have a drink with me.”

 

Thor sighs and glances around. “It would be ungallant to refuse so lovely an offer” he offers her his arms. She giggles and takes it.

 

They walk together down the street and Thor thinks that perhaps he's finished chasing storms. At least for a few decades.

 

 

 

 

\------------------------------------------------------

 

Thor had watches the story of the great prince of the realm who flouted the law in order to aid the weak. It is vanity. The sort that Thor now recognizes as once his own. But the deeds of the Man of Iron seem foolish and far away now. A grand deed that has no bearing in the realities of life.

 

It is odd. He has been on earth only a very short time, not even a fraction of a mortal life-time let alone his own, yet he feels a different man from the spoiled young prince who fled Asgard with his bodyguards.

 

Perhaps a part of it is the lovely Jane. He dotes on her, but even as he loves her he is mourning for her.

 

She will grow old. She will die. Thor will see it all. Her whole life gone in the span of less time than it will take for him to finish growing from boy to man.

 

He loves her. It is an odd and sudden emotion. It is not that he hasn't loved before. He has. He loves his brother, his mother and father, his friend Fandral, his sworn shields Hogun and Volstagg, and his intended the Lady Sif. Jane conjures something different in him. Perhaps it is the fleetingness of her life, perhaps it is his own reduced circumstances, but he finds each moment in her company precious and perfect.

 

Jane is clever. She is probably the only scholar Thor has ever met who was truly cleverer than his brother and not just more hard working. Though, of course, she is that as well.

 

She tells him about her work and doesn't expect him to understand. He does, but pretends it's all beyond him so that she will sit with him longer, her hands sketching forms in the air as she tries to show him what she sees in her numbers.

 

She is small and soft; her eyes are the darkest brown, her hair is fine and dark. He could grab her about the waist with one arm.

 

Erik does not approve, of course. It is the most awful conversation Thor has ever had to have.

 

They are standing in the street a short distance from the cafe, each holding coffee but neither drinking it.

Selvig is glaring. “Jane has made it clear I cannot prevent this. But, I have to ask what the hell you're thinking. I researched you remember? I found you in the desert. I know what you are Thor. In most of the ways that matter you're as human as any other man, but you aren't. You're not what you pretend to be. Something I worry you've forgotten.”

 

“I know exactly who I am Erik Selvig.” Thor said staring 2 inches to the left of Erik's head.

 

“Do you? Because you're acting like you don't. I've seen what you can do and I have no idea what your capable of. I know what you are and I'm only surprised your not emotionally disturbed because of it!”

 

Thor looked at Erik in shock then.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I'm not stupid Thor. I know enough about you to have put together some of the pieces. You were made weren't you? Designed as a weapon. Some new god-damned super soldier as if the past failures weren't cautionary tales enough...You were property and you escaped and while I can only hope you stay that way, I know someone will come after you eventually.”

 

_Property._ Thor knew he wasn't considered a real person during his time at SHIELD. People called him many things, subject, asset, agent, specimen, anomaly, but it's never been laid out in quite those terms. Apparently, as far as everyone but himself had been concerned he'd been little more than a prize horse, owned, paraded, lauded but still belonging to his masters, something that could be used as it pleased them. 

 

It's all the more frightening because it remains an immediate danger.  _They'd love nothing more than to parade you in chains._ His mother had said. If the dark elves found him he had nought to look forward to but a life of enslavement and humiliation. Not to mention SHIELD and the terror he'd felt as the drugs had begun to work through his system, making him slow and weak and helpless. 

 

It sends shivers down his spine whenever he thinks about how close it had been. There but for the grace of the Hawk...

 

Thor blinks away the tears.

 

“I did not know you felt that way Selvig. I was under the false impression that for one person to own another was ideologically disallowed on Earth.”

 

Selvig looks at Thor with pity but without apology, and it's almost enough to make him abandon this city and leave once more to chase the storms.

 

Thor looks up as the clouds gather and the sky darkens. “If you ask me to leave, I will.” He says.

 

Erik sighs. “I want to Thor, but Jane would know you only left because of me. She'd never forgive me for it.”

 

“So you wished to tell me you will no longer be my friend?”

 

It is a long pause.

 

“It's not that Thor.” Selvig said. “I really admire you for what you've done with your life, for the hard choices you've made but,”

 

“But you fear me.”

 

“You're not like the rest of us Thor. Your limits aren't the same and I must admit, that worries me sometimes.”

 

Thor nods. “I'll away to Jane then Doctor. You need not worry, you will never need clap eyes on me again.”

 

“Thor...” Selvig starts to say something but Thor had shaken his head and walked away.

 

He doesn't leave to chase the storms again. Instead he goes home to Jane.

\--------------------------------------

 

It is some years later and they have moved to New Mexico that Jane may better study the skies, when

she bursts into their home in the early hours of the morning.

 

This is not particularly unusual. Jane is often up till dawn studying the heavens and trying to graps even one thread of what binds the universe together, in the hopes that by tugging it she may unravel the entire design. Whenever she discovers something wonderous she often rushes home to share it with him, forgetting that certain people do not have fellowship grants to live off of and must rise with the sun in order to earn their living.

 

Thor sits up blearily to greet her as she loudly deposits a pile of photographs next to him.

 

“Look at these Thor look!! It definitely is indicative of an Einstein-Rosen Bridge!”

 

He frowns at the pictures of a night sky far away and then with a jolt he recognizes the constellations. He had learned to navigate by them when he was a little child (though Loki had been better at it). Somehow his beloved had captured an image of the Asgardian sky.

 

“How did you come by this image?” He says his voice soft from the shock. The mere sight of these familiar stars in enough to make his throat close up in anticipation of tears.

 

“I've been tracking atmospheric phenomenon, I know it's not obvious but-” Jane expounds, clearly drunk on her own cleverness. _As Loki so often used to be,_ a treacherous voice murmurs in the back of Thor's mind.

 

“These are the stars of a different realm.” He cuts her off coldly.

 

She seems taken aback. As though even her, his beloved, believed him to be little more than a brute of terrible strength.

 

“Yes, how did you?” She asks.

 

“I know the stars of this world. These are not them.” Thor responds curtly. “I am impressed my dear. You are possessed of a mind without peer. May I return to my slumbers now?”

 

Jane seems shocked and hurt by his lack of patience and the callousness with which he treats her excitement but the early hour and the reminder of his home has put Thor in a foul mood and he cannot bring himself to care.

 

He lies back down away from her and turns away from her, pulling the blanket back up over his shoulder.

 

“Thor...?” she asks tentatively.

 

“Jane.” he replies emotionlessly.

 

“Is something the matter?”

 

“Yes, I'm conscious.”

 

She lies down next to him and rubs a hand along his bicep. “Go back to sleep. We'll talk about it in the morning. Okay?”

 

 

They do not talk about it in the morning. Thor is in a foul mood. Jane is clearly upset and he knows not how to broach the subject with her. What would he say anyway?

 

I was angry because you showed me stars I have not glimpsed in years and it made me yearn for golden halls that even now may be little more than blackened husks? She would think him a madman.

 

So they go about their morning in unusual silence.

 

It is Saturday so they head to the store to purchase their groceries. As is their custom, they separate once there, Jane handling produce and cuts of meat, and Thor dried goods and dairy.

 

He looks up from contemplation of a box of Captain Crunch and into the face of Agent Coulson. He nearly drops his basket in shock.

 

“Thor, we need you to come in.” Coulson says with his mild smile.

 

“Coulson.” Thor murmurs, voice barely above a whisper. “You can't be here.”

 

“Why not? Did you think we'd lost track of you?”

 

“No. But, I thought you would see the foolish cost attempting to force me to return would reap.”

 

Coulson smiles a bit wider. “Oh, Thor. Would you really risk the lives of everyone in this store? Not to mention the trouble we could cause for you friend. What's her name? Oh, yes. Jane Foster.”

 

Thor grips the handle of his little basket tighter. “You wouldn't.”

 

Coulson's face is stone, carved in a mild smile without teeth. “Have you forgotten the missions you were sent on during your stay with us? Of course we would.”

 

Thor looks around the aisle.

 

He sees Jane pass by heading towards the ice-cream.

 

“Not to mention Erik Selvig, who we will most definitely be having words with.” The Agent adds.

 

There's ice running down Thor's spine. Erik who feared him but who had helped him when there was no one else. Who'd allowed him to build a life and who even now did not reveal him to the fair Jane.

 

“Don't.” Thor croaks. “They are innocent in this.”

 

Coulson sighs. “Hmmm...yes it would be a shame if something were to happen. Jane's finished her Ph.D. Hasn't she? Astrophysics? Very impressive.”

 

“Pl-” Thor starts to beg but is interrupted.

 

“Thor?”Someone asks.

 

It's Jane at the far end of the aisle.

 

He turns to Coulson in panic but the man seems unconcerned.

 

“You could kill me now Thor. But I don't think that would impress her much.” His voice is as calm and as pleasant as if he were discussing the climate of this State.

 

Thor drops the basket and nods.

 

Jane is coming towards them.

 

Coulson grabs his forearm and begins leading him away

 

“Thor?!” Jane calls after him. She's curious about Coulson who she's never seen before. She's coming this way, Thor thinks in a panic.

 

He doesn't turn. To look behind would be to lose his nerve.

 

“Thor!?” His will is weak and he glances behind to see Jane obstructed in her pursuit by what appears to be a kindly old woman. Even at this distance her distress and confusion is clear on her face.

 

Erik Selvig was right. Thor realizes bitterly. He has brought her trouble that she does not deserve.

 

With a heavy heart he heads to the exit and steps into the black van parked directly outside the door. Jane is still calling after him, but he does lift his head for one final look. He loved her, for however brief a time. Perhaps that will be what she remembers.

 


	2. Chapter 2: An Interlude of Unhappiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Jane both consider their time apart. Neither are happy about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Non-consensual drug use of the forced sedative nature.

After Thor walks out, without looking at her despite how loud she yelled, Jane doesn't buy the groceries.

She doesn't know what to do. She wants to scream and cry and throw her books across the room. Thor is gone. Thor had looked afraid. Thor _never_ looked afraid. Even that one time when they nearly got mugged by Hell's Angels- Thor had only looked as though he was patiently indulging them by handing over his wallet.

 

She picks up her phone 3 times to call someone and 3 times puts it down. Who can she call?  Thor didn't look like he was going willingly per se he certainly didn't look like he was being dragged off. It's not like the guy had a gun on him or anything.

She sits down on their bed and stares at the photo of her and Thor when they moved from Oregon down to New Mexico.

Her phone rings. It's Darcy.

 

“Yo, Jane, you need to come and unlock the door to the lab! I thought you'd be here already.”

 

“What? Oh, yeah, I'll be there in a second.”

 

“You sound distracted. Oh my god! Is Thor naked? Take a picture for me!” Darcy squeals.

 

“I thought we'd talked about you sexually harassing my boyfriend Darcy.” Jane groans.

 

“Hey, he's never complained.”

 

“He wouldn't complain; he's too polite, but I know it makes him uncomfortable so: stop it!”

 

Darcy sighs exaggeratedly “Fine. Does this mean I need to delete the pictures I have of him?”

 

“What pict-”

 

“Anyway see you soon!”

 

Jane hangs up and takes a deep breath. It's only been an hour. She's over reacting. She sees Thor's phone on the bedside table: he always is forgetting it. She calms down. He probably ran into someone he used to know, Jane's a bit fuzzy on specifics but she knows there was some extreme unpleasantness for him when he moved to the States. So, he had a talk with them, and then went to work without coming home.

She almost believes that's true when Thor's phone starts vibrating on the table. Jane answers it, her heart in her throat.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hi, is this Jane?”  an unfamiliar voice asks.

 

“Yeah, it is.”

 

“Can you tell Thor to get his butt into work? The boss is giving me the evil eye and there's a bachelorette party that's coming in tonight and you know they're just coming to oogle his arms while he poors them beers.”

 

“He... didn't make it into work?”

 

“No, he's not here.”

 

Okay, officially time to panic. “Shit. I've got to go, I'm gonna call the cops.”

 

She hangs up Thor's phone just as hers starts ringing. She scrambles over and answers it.

 

“Erik, I can't talk right now-”

 

“It's about Thor.” He cuts her off.

 

“What?!”

 

“Yeah, he called me, he said his uncle came and found him and he's going home. He said not to worry and that he was sorry and...”

 

“Erik.”

 

“Jane.”

 

“Why are you lying to me?”

 

“I'm not lying.”

 

“You are. What. Happened.”

 

There's sigh and Erik says. “You know how I met Thor, Jane?”

 

“No, you've never said.”

 

“He ran away from home and needed somewhere to stay. They were always going to take him back Jane, that's why I didn't want him dating you.”

 

“That doesn't make any sense Erik. Even if it's his family it still counts as kidnapping.”

 

  
“Listen to me Jane: Don't look for him. He's gone.” He sounds so final it scares her.

 

Jane grits her teeth. “Don't call me again Erik.” she snarls and then throws her phone across the room. She cradles her head in her hands before sighing and going to retreive it. Luckily it isn't broken. She needs to call the cops.

 

.0.

 

 

Thor's vision swims into focus as the drugs leave his system and he finds himself gazing into a familiar face. “Selvig?”  
  


“Thor.”

 

Erik looks pained. As though something terrible has happened.

 

“Has something happened to Jane, Erik?” Thor asks groggily, trying to understand what is happening.

 

“Jane is just fine Thor.” Erik reassures him.

 

“Oh.” Thor is confused then. He's sure something terrible had happened.

 

Thor tries to move, to stand, to embrace his friend, so long absent, but he finds he cannot. His arms and legs are secured to the bed on which he lies. The bed and the cuffs are one.

 

He frowns. Why would you make a bed with the restraints built in?

 

“She's searching for you.” Erik says softly.

 

“What?” Thor is having trouble with this conversation.

 

“Jane. I told her Coulson was your uncle, and that he'd probably taken you away on urgent family business. She doesn't buy it funnily enough.” Erik explains with a chuckle.

 

“Of course not. My lady is of sharp wit and sharper sight. She would not be taken in by falsehood.” Thor is insulted on Jane's behalf. Not even is it an unconvincing lie it's not even particularly imaginative.

 

He tests his strength against his bindings. They hold. He notices that the needle in his arm leads to a tube that runs into the wall. The room is small, made of concrete as the men of SHIELD are wont to do, and he is only wearing a scratchy shift.

 

His blood turns to ice as he realises: he is a prisoner again. And this time their is no Hawk to save him from the drugs that make him slow and stupid. He cannot run. He cannot get away. He cannot even feel the thunder-he must be far underground.

 

Selvig grins a little but it seems a false smile.

 

“Oh, Thor. I never wanted to see you like this.” he seems regretful but not grieved.

 

“I did not hope to find myself in such a situation, but, why are you here my friend?” Thor tries to keep his voice light. He's not sure he's succeeding. Loki was ever the actor in the family. Thor had never been fit to play any part but that of himself as he was.

 

“I'm working for them now, as a researcher. My condition to accept the job was that they had to show me you were still alive.” Erik tries to make it sound as though working for S.H.I.E.L.D. is no small matter but Thor is not fooled.

 

“Oh. You have thrown in with Fury and his SHIELD then?” He should not be bitter. Where else would a man such as Selvig find patronage but from the powerful and the dangerous?

 

“I'm afraid so.” Erik does not sound at all sorry or afraid when he says this.

 

“And this will be the only visit they allow?” Thor asks with a sense of foreboding.

 

“Most likely.” Erik is matter of fact in the passing of the terrible sentence.

 

“....Tell me of Jane?” Thor begs.

 

Erik sighs. “What do you want to know?”

 

“How goes her reasearch? She seemed close to perhaps grasping certain facts of the universe...Has she grown her hair out? Does she still live in New Mexico?” He's desperate to hear of things far away. Of the happy life full of knowledge and determination in it's pursuit that he had bought for Jane by coming quietly.

 

“Her research is going well. She's got a grant and has hired an assistant to help her. She goes out pretty often. A lot of her time is spent making noise about you though. She got the name SHIELD from somewhere, and now she's hanging out with a bunch conspiracy nuts trying to contact everyone from Tony Stark to the pope trying to get them to help you.”

 

“She should not waste her time on such things. Tell her you've seen me and I wish her to continue her work.” Thor demands. He does not like to thing of his beloved distraught and distracted by a hopeless quest to free him. Better she forget him than join him here.

 

Erik sighs, nods and then reachs down to pat Thor's ankle. “And to think I thought you weren't good enough for her.” He means it kindly enough, Thor knows, but the words still rankle him and wound his vanity.

 

“I am Thor, Crown Prince of Asgard. There is not a woman in the nine-realms who is worthy of me. But, it matters not, for the only woman I desire is Jane Foster, and by some great kindness, she cared for me as well. We were happy together for a time. I consider myself well served, few are so lucky.” He declares with absolute certainty.

 

Thor looks away from Erik then and stares at the ceiling blinking back his tears. He had been blessed to know love, and now he would life without it. Not a fair trade but it was what the Norns had woven for him, and he had to accept it.

 

“Please go Erik. You remind me of things that cannot be.” He says exhausted.

 

Erik nods. Soon, the woozy confusion signals to Thor that the needle in his arm is again sending potions into his blood and once more he loses track of time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'd like to apologize for the long wait (if there's anybody who's still interested in this story out there). I've had this chapter and the next one sitting on my computer for ages but I have no idea where it's going which is not something I usually am comfortable with while writing. So. 
> 
> Sorry. Hope you like it.


	3. Lost and Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki arrives on Midgard and brings his attitude with him. Fury makes a major miscalculation. Thor is determined to protect his brother.

When Loki arrives on Midgard it is with great drama.

 

It is not like before when he slipped silently from between the stars and would search for some sign of his brother. It is difficult to find someone who is hiding. More difficult still if you believe they must be dead. For how could brash and foolish Thor have lived so long without even a whisper of his coming reaching Loki's ears? No, Thor must be dead. Unsung and unknown. A young body in an unmarked grave. But, hope is hard to kill and Loki continues to search, even knowing there is nothing to find.

But this isn't like those times. This time he means to make a _statement_.

Theatricality has always been Loki's realm. He can play any part, but when there is no stage to act upon he slides into the background and no one notices him. Thor had been rubbish at acting, during their youthful dramatics he had mumbled and stammered and looked a prize fool, but when he merely had to be himself? None could look away. It's probably why he is dead and Loki is alive. Well, today, the entire universe shall be Loki's stage and he will play his part to perfection. Everyone who ever overlooked him, who ever forgot the little dark second prince, will regret it. He is going to make them pay: the Midgardians, the Dark Elves, the Asgardians, perhaps even the Frostgiants. They'll pay for what they did. All the realms that ever were and will be will remember that Odin Allfather had two sons and they were Thor and Loki.

 

So, he tells the One-eyed man his name: Loki of Asgard. Burdened with Glorious Purpose. He takes the Hawk and the scientist and he goes to bring his war to the people of Midgard, knowing that they deserve it and worse. Because, Thor was supposed to be here, he was supposed to be safe.

And Loki cannott find him. He's not safe. He's dead. He must be dead.

 

The people of Asgard are waiting for their golden prince to return in glory and break the siege. They'll have to settle for his shadow. Thor would have been a beloved but inept ruler. Loki will settle for nothing less than greatness even if it must be bought with fear.

 

So, Loki will rip this world a part and then as payment for the Chitauri and when that is finished he will take his army to Asgard and rule as king.

 

When the world once more swims into focus it is Fury and not a friendly face that greets Thor. Fury glowers down at him and Thor bellows and fights to free himself.

 

He curses Fury, in the Old Speech.. It is meaningless of course. Thor has never had the power of words that is possessed by his mother, brother and, to a lesser extent, his father. But, it makes him feel better to hurl the worst insults he knows at the man in the most powerful tongue in all the realms.

 

“You know, I believe that's the first time I've heard you be anything less than eloquent Thor.” Fury drawls, completely unimpressed.

 

Thor snarls and calls the storms with all his being, screaming to the skies; begging the storms to come, the skies to open and the lightning to kill his enemies. He feels the reply of half a dozen storms rumble in his chest. They are desperate and eager to do his bidding like dogs pricking up their ears at the sound of a beloved masters voice, too long absent.

 

“Now, Thor. I gave you a choice.” Furys says maddeningly calm as though it is unreasonable that Thor should hate his captor.

 

Thor spits in his face.

 

“And I made the only choice I could. But I did not think to be chained, unmoving and unsensing for the rest of my days. Such cruelty would only be allowed on Asgard for the most terrible of crimes.” Thor snarls.

 

“Mmmmhmmmm.” Fury does not appear impressed. “Speaking of Asgard..” he draws a piece of paper from his pocket. “Did you happen to see this fellow there?”

 

It is Loki, gaunt and tired, but still fierce. He is clad in some strange bastard gear, the garb of another realm crudely altered to appear more Asgardian. His hair has gotten over long and his face is burning with rage.

 

Thor redoubles his efforts to break free, lunging forward despite his restraints.

 

“Loki! He lives! He is here? You have not got him or you would not ask...”

 

“Loki? Ah yes. Your little brother. That explains it.” Fury glances between the Thor and the image. “You don't look much like brothers.”

 

Thor tries to hold his temper. “How did you come by that picture Fury!?” He roars, feeling the answering rumble of a far away thunder in his chest.

 

“How did your brother come to not look a thing like you?” Fury asks with studied disinterest. Thor wonders how he could have ever believed himself safer in the service of a man without honour than on his own.

 

“He favours my father's people. My grandmother on that side looked very like him.” Thor explains in the hope that Fury will go away.

 

“Well, I'll have to mention that when I speak to him.” Fury replies over his shoulder as he turns to leave.

 

Thor panics, jerking against his restraints. “No. Don't. He's not like me. He'll go mad.” Thor begs, desperate. He submitted to this so that those he loves might be safe. He cannot allow Loki to be tricked the same way.

 

....But, then. Loki was always the trickster, dancing along, three steps ahead of all the other children in the palace.

It matters not, of course. Thor is the elder brother and it his duty to protect his younger brother. He knows it will be a matter of moments before the drugs once more cause him to lose all reason. He takes in his surroundings: He is bound, hand and foot, to a bed, or a table. The restraints that bind him are one with the structure of the furniture and too tight for him to be able to move enough for his great strength to be of use. But, he _can_ move his head and shoulders.

 

He puts all his strength into lunging to the right, repeatedly. It takes a few tries to builf enough momentum but the bed tips and crashes down on it's side, tearing the tube in his arm free with a spray of blood.

 

Perfect.

 

Except he still cannot move and is now lying bleeding on the floor.

 

He feels the thunder roar in his chest and, to his surprise, hears the distant crash of the sky's rage. He had realized he wasn't far underground from how clearly he could feel the storms when he called but to hear them means he must not be underground at all.

 

Frowning, Thor looks around the room. It is not the same as the one in which he spoke to Erik Selvig. Where that room was concrete, this is metal, shining and cool and _capable of conducting electricity._

 

Thor grins, and feels the responding surge in the storm as the lightning cracks the vault of the heavens. _The fools have put him in the air._

 

It is no matter what has happened, he tells himself triumphantly, there is no way he can fail with such advantages. He thrashes against his bonds. Let them try once more to bind him. He will see them all fall to their deaths if he must.

 

 

Loki looks down into the void, lit by a flash of lightning.

 

“It's an impressive cage, not built I think for me.” he comments wryly. His capture on the Helicarier is all according to his own design.

 

“Built for something a lot stronger than you.” Fury declares, full of the hubris of mortals.

 

“Oh, I've heard. A beast who makes play he's still a man. Are you so desperate that you call on such lost souls to defend you? Are you so weak?” He taunts.

 

“You've stolen a power source you can't begin to control, you threaten my world with war and you kill cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate, you might not be glad that you did.”

OoooH. Threats. How droll from such an insignificant weak pathetic creature.

 

Loki grins, baring his teeth. “You know, I had no quarrel with Midgard before I came here. I was just after the cube.” He flicks one finger against the glass with a plink.

“I took the Archer and the Scientist because I needed them, and then I found I did have a quarrel with Midgard...tell me Director, do your oh, so noble, champions know what you've done to my brother? The Hawk didn't know...”

 

Loki paces around his cell like a tiger in a cage, glancing right up at the camera.

 

“I do not kill for pleasure Fury, but for vengeance. It is an unfashionable thing on Midgard I understand, but where I come from...” He traced a line on the glance from Fury's throat to his waist, it would look almost flirtatious in any other context but there was no doubt in the minds of any watching that Loki wanted nothing more than to gut Fury with that finger “...What you did must be answered in blood, and yours isn't enough. For the sake of Mighty Thor, you must die, your house must fall, your followers must be slaughtered.” He smiles softly, “It is the right of my family to do so, and as I am the only one here, I promise you Fury, I'll kill you myself.”

 

A crack of thunder makes Steve jump and look away from the screen.

 

Stark, typically, doesn't even look up from where he is watching the live feed. “You know, these threats of Loki's would be a little bit more intimidating if he looked old enough to buy beer. And what's this he's saying about his brother?”

 

Dr. Banner shrugs. “Could be anything. That boy's brain is a bag of cats. You can smell crazy on him.”

 

“We'll know soon enough. My program should be just about finished hacking into Fury's secure files...”

 

“Program?” Steve demands turning on the genius.

 

“Yeah, it's been running since we hit the bridge. Soon I'll know every dirty secret Fury's tried to hide.”

 

“And you wonder why they don't want you around.” Steve asks, deadpan.

 

“An Intelligence Agency that _fears_ intelligence? Historically? Not good.” Tony glances at him appraisingly. “C'mon, soldier, tell me nothing here smells fishy to you. Bruce agrees with me.” 

 

Steve notices Banner twitching. “Doctor?”

 

“It's just, Tony here is THE only man in the field of sustainable clean energy. His arc reactors are the only thing remotely close to the tesseract in terms of power generation. But they didn't call him until someone stole it. Seems a bit fishy is all.”

 

Steve sighs and walks out of the room, bracing himself against a wall as the Hellicarier lists violently to the left in the storm. As impressive as it had been at first, he is now seriously beginning to doubt the practicality of a giant flying battleship.

 

Tony Stark was, Steve thinks as he goes looking for things amiss, the sort of person so smart as to be downright moronic. This Helicarrier was built along the lines of a air-craft carrier which were basically floating military bases. It's not exactly difficult to work out where you'd put things you didn't want anyone to find.

 

He's down in the lowest level when he hears something that sounds like screaming. He wrenches the door it's coming from behind open in a panic, mind reeling with images of Loki escaped and innocents (relatively speaking- this is S.H.I.E.L.D afterall) being tortured. He is met with a sight he absolutely does not want to understand.

 

Because, there's a man on the floor. He's young, blonde, covered in blood and tied to a bed. A bed that had obviously been custom designed to retrain him so he can barely move at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!   
> This is the chapter where things begin to line up with the Avengers movie. Very unsure where this is going since I've tossed out my original plan for the ending...so who knows? I tried to toe the line of this being a younger less bitter Loki and still having him be his evil little self.


	4. Bring the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor meets the Avengers. Loki meets Thor. Everyone is afraid of what will happen next.

The man on the floor had managed to get one leg loose and was clearly straining to try and get an arm or his other leg free when Steve opened the door and he froze.

 

He manages to throw himself (bed and all) away from Steve just as there's a crack of thunder so loud the window in the door rattles.

 

“Whoa!” Steve says, holding his hands up. “I'm not gonna hurt you.”

 

“I need to get out of here.” The man rasps, looking painfully young, his speech coloured by some indefinable accent.

 

Steve nods. “I can see that.”

 

“You must assist me! My brother...Fury plans to restrain him, to do to him what has been done to me.” He works one of his shoulders, and in a slow painful wrench starts tearing the restraint around his wrist away from the bed obviously hurting his shoulder pretty badly in the process.

 

“Jesus! Easy there.” Steve yells. “Let me help you.”

 

It doesn't take long to free the young man,Thor as he introduces himself, from the room. He's wobbly and unsteady on his feet. He's bleeding from one arm and there's he tubing running into the wall and Steve has the sick feeling that this boy had been drugged.

 

He slings on of Thor's arms over his shoulder and together they start making their way up towards the lab where Banner and Stark are. If nothing else Banner at least can be trusted to treat Thor without drugging him up and sticking him in a little box again.

 

They're outside the door of the lab where they've stashed Banner and Stark when he hears the distinct sound of Fury being annoyed and Stark being annoying.

 

“I'm sorry” he hears Stark say, “What's Subject Red?”

 

And Steve didn't spend all that time in the USO without being able to hear know a cue when he hears one. So he barges in dragging Thor, who hasn't said a word since Steve hauled him up off the floor of his cell and who has gone limp sometime between the cell and the entrace.

 

“Hey Tony, meet Subject Red. SHIELD's finally made another supersoldier, only I don't think this one agreed to being experimented on.”

 

“Now, Captain we gathered everything that was related to Loki that does not mean-” Fury begins to defend himself.

 

“I'm sorry Nick,” Tony interrupts “What were you lying?” He's turned his stupid see through monitor around and there's a picture of Thor in a military haircut and what looks like pages and pages of data. There's even a video of his strength being tested by Field Agents.

 

“Don't forget Nick, I fought this guy. Thor, you okay there buddy?” Banner adds.

 

He moves over to Thor who has slumped against the table in the centre of the room barely managing to stay upright.

 

“Banner?” Thor asks blearily. “You are not green.”

 

“No, not at the moment I'm afraid.”

 

“Pity, I think I prefer the berserker. Him I understand.”

 

“Wait- Thor? Thor... Thor...I've seen you before. Where have I seen you before?” Tony exclaims suddenly.

 

“I know not tiny human.”

 

“I..” He pulls out his little see through phone and barks into it. “JARVIS where have I seen him before.”

 

“He bears a resemblance to the young man in the photos given to you by Dr. Foster.”

 

Tony gasps and does something to the screen so that it's showing a large picture of someone who is recognizable as a much happier and healthier Thor with his arms around a short brown haired woman.

 

“JANE!!!” It's Thor, he's on his feet. The entire room feels like it's crackling with static electricity suddenly.

 

“Okay, Fury. We need to have a chat.” Tony growls. “This girl.” He points to the brunette “has been hounding me for the last 6 months, e-mails, phonecalls, showing up at conventions, showing up at the office, telling me that SHIELD kidnapped her boyfriend and I was the only person she knew of who could help her. S'That true?” Tony asks and pops a blueberry into his mouth daring Fury to lie.

 

Fury looks furious but also cornered. He opens his mouth to answer but Thor beats him to it.

 

“I went willingly. I made a bargain that Jane would be untouched by my actions so long as I cooperated, but now I find my brother imprisoned and my beloved deeply hurt by my actions.” The kid turns to Fury. “I am breaking my oath to you Fury. Release my brother now.”

 

Thor is already looking a lot better than he was just a few moments ago. He's not leaning on the table anymore but he still looks a bit fragile standing barefoot and skinny in a hospital gown.

 

Fury crosses his arms and looks unimpressed. “I'm afraid I can't do that. See, Loki's stolen something that doesn't belong to him. I'm gonna keep him here until he tells me where it it.”

 

Thor feels his face colour with rage. He laughs. “On your head be it.” He promises darkly.

 

The ship jolts even more violently and every one except Thor loses their footing.

 

He silently calls out his rage and helplessness to the sky. He has been helpless too long, but no longer. He feels the storms answer in outrage at his plight.

 

Lighting strikes one of the engines.

 

The lights flicker. The thunder is so loud it's deafening.

 

“I will bring this ship down if need be!” Thor bellows barely heard above the storm. Then he strides out of the room, perhaps not as regal as his mother or as fearsome as his father but close he thinks. For the first time in his life he comes close to them.

 

Steve Rogers scrambles to his feet and tries to stagger after him.

 

“Thor!” he calls.

 

But Thor doesn't turn, doesn't even pause in his stride. He is a one man army punching through doors, swatting agents aside like flies and not even bothering to dodge bullets since they just seem to bounce off of him.

 

 

“Thor!” Steve gasps as they finally reach the holding bay. There is, naturally, a cordon of agents ready to make a last stand in an attempt to prevent Thor from freeing his brother.

 

Honestly, Steve doesn't know who's side to be on. Thor has obviously been mistreated as the hands of SHIELD and he could understand wanting vengeance but it looked like Loki had been planning most of this long before he discovered his brother's fate, no matter what he said to Fury.

 

Loki threw himself at the glass as he saw his brother enter. Thor was here! Thor was alive! Thor must have been responsible for the storm all along! Thor...looked terrible. His hair had been shorn roughly and with little care given to appearance and there was a gauntness to his face and frame that should not have been there. Not to mention his strange and flimsy garb

 

Loki does not know what to do, his plan had not contained contingencies for a reappearance from his brother.

 

Loki snarls and suddenly the guns in the hands of the agents turned to vipers. Thor knocks the agents aside and walks barefoot through the twisting snakes.

 

He bangs against the glass of Loki's cell.

 

“Brother.” he whispers brokenly, leaning heavily against the glass.

 

Loki is frantic to get out. Thor needs help. It's his job to help Thor when he gets himself into trouble, but he can't get out unless someone _lets_ him out and his own agents won't be able to land on the Helicarrier until the storm ends.

 

Judging by how distressed Thor is, the storm is _not_ going to end for quite a long while.

 

“Brother. I'm sorry. I thought you dead.” Loki whispers leaning his head against the glass on the other side of Thor.

 

“As I you, little brother. As I you.”

 

Loki grins through his tears. “I was going to burn the Earth as your blood price Thor.” he informs him.

 

“You over value me brother.” Thor replies.

 

Loki meets Thor's heartbroken gaze. They are as different as night and day but for their eyes which they share- bluer than the cosmic cube and belonging to neither of their parents.

 

“No I don't think so.”

 

There's a hiss and Loki jumps back as the door slides open. Over Thor's shoulder he can see the Soldier in the brightly coloured outfit standing by the controls.

 

“Are we going to have a problem here?” he asks.

 

Loki shakes his head mutely.

 

“Good.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments on the last chapter! They were very helpful in keeping me writing. Sorry if this chapter's a bit short but I'm trying to keep at least one chapter a head and it seemed like this was the best place to break it off. 
> 
> Besides: Dramatic Reunion!!


	5. Still Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Thor have a difference of opinion.

It's a testament to how terrible things must have been for Thor that Loki is standing uncertain and awkward before his brother for nearly a second before he musters the strength to lever himself off the glass where he's been leaning and envelope his little brother in a bone crunching hug.

 

“You didn't make it to the Bifrost.” Thor chokes out, face buried as much as it can in the stiff shoulder padding of Loki's coat.

 

“No.”

 

“I'm sorry I didn't wait.” Thor whispers.

 

Loki remembers the crush of the panicked city, and the way the dark elves had been climbing up the spires and felling people all around him.

 

He'd been so afraid he'd hidden himself without thinking. Illusions a paltry shield against the darts the elves cast down into the crowd, but so much better than nothing.

 

He'd gotten to safety as quickly as he could and it was only after he'd slipped through onto one of his paths between the worlds that he remembered Thor and his guuards were waiting for him on the bridge.

If he'd been a brave and honourable man of Asgard he would have gone back for them.

 

But he hadn't.

 

He pats his brother gingerly on the head. “I forgive you.”

 

He looks over his brother's shoulder at the Soldier who stands awkwardly near the exit.

 

“I have an army brother. What do you say we watch this world burn?” Loki suggests.

 

Thor starts and pulls away looking into his little brother's face in shock.

 

“Why? What do you mean?” He asks.

 

Loki grins. “The cube. With it I can buy the loyalty of the Chitauri.”

 

Thor stares at his brother in horror. “The Chitauri?” he whispers.

 

Loki's smile grows feral. “The only ones mad enough to fight the elves. They'll break the siege in exchange for the cube.”

 

 

Thor gapes unsure what to say. Luckily the Captain interrupts the moment.

 

“I think we all need to have a chat. So, if you'll follow me.”

 

The ensuing meeting is awkward to say the least, since they have to more or less baricade themselves in one of the labs and it's only the threat of a possible Hulk-out/being the schmuck who got Captain America killed that is keeping the (mostly now recovered) SHIELD Agents from storming the place Alamo-style.

 

Loki won't sit down, keeps pacing around the room and chuckles at disconcerting moments. Thor meanwhile half-collapses into his chair.

 

Steve is pretty sure that they have somehow found themselves on the brink of interplanetary war and is kind of freaking out. It does not help that Ms. Romanov and Tony Stark insist on baiting the mildly deranged extraterrestrial prince.

 

“You have your brother back now, return the cube and be on your way. We'll call it square it never happened.” Tony suggests. “Problem solved.”

 

“He's reponsible for the deaths of 80 people. Thor here killed Sitwell in cold blood. You think we should just let it slide?” Romanov replies.

 

“Oh, if you want to play the 'Who killed More' game I think every one in the room would agree that (disqualifing Bruce for obvious reasons) you'll win that game!”

 

“I won't return the cube!” Loki declares.

 

“Why what could you possibly need it for?” Romanov demands.

 

“Besides,” Thor sits up straight and speaks for the first time in the conversation. “It belongs to us anyway.”

 

Everyone is taken a back for a moment and then Loki smiles like a mamba.

 

“That's true Thor, I had forgotten. The tesseract was put on earth by our father but he never renounced his claim to it. Therefore: We are the rightful owners.”

 

“Do we have your word not to use it against us?” Bruce asks tiredly.

 

Loki smiles even wider. “No. Thor being alive may mean a blood price no longer needs to be paid, but vengeance? Vengeance still must be answered to.”

 

Surprisingly it's Thor who objects. “Vengeance will serve nothing Loki. I have lived among the people of Earth and I... I have come to hold the mortals in the highest regard. I will not have you harm any who are innocent.”

 

Loki gestured to the room. “So, you'll not object if I settle the score with the people in this flying fortress.”

 

“YES! I most definitely would mind. And you can't hand the tesseract over to the Chitauri.” Thor protests. 

 

“Oh? I should just let our city burn to spare your delicate feelings?” Loki hisses.

 

“Better our city than all the realms and all the worlds.”

 

“Oh, yes, better they be swallowed in darkness when the dark elves conquer us.”

 

“The Dark Elves besiege the city believing the Aether to be there. It is not. They will fail in their schemes and having failed we will crush them.” Thor proudly declares.

 

Loki laughs harshly. “You know nothing Thor! The nine-realms are in chaos! The dark elves have set such a price on your head that had I not believed you dead I might have sold you to them myself and used the money to hire warriors to break the siege.”

 

There is a dead silence.

 

Tony whistles. “Harsh. Isn't this the same guy who was threatening to burn the planet not an hour ago as vengeance for your 'death'” .He leaned across the table to Thor and stage whispers. “I don't think he's trust worthy.”

 

“Is that truly what you desire Loki?” Thor asks softly.

 

Loki snarls. “And what am I to do Thor? You forbid me from trading on the tesseract, you refuse to use the Chitauri? Am I to wait for our city to crumble? For the jewel of all the universes to fall to ruin and our people scattered or enslaved? If I wield the teserract there is little enough force that may oppose me, but the Elves know the cosmic gems better even than the Aesir! They will kill us!”

 

“And if you sell me to them? What then?”

 

Loki shrugs and grimaces. “Then you live in pain and humiliation but I have the means to save the rest of our people!”

 

“Is this truly your plan?” Thor asks again.

 

Loki seems possessed by his anger. “NO! It is not! My plan is to use the tesseract to pay the Chitauri to break the siege!! And you will help me!!!” He shrieks.

 

Even Tony Stark had been silent as the two brothers argued but, surprisingly it is Bruce Banner who interrupts now.

 

“I'm sorry obviously this is something you guys are really familiar with, but , what's a Chitauri?”

 

Loki opens his mouth but Thor beats him to it. “They're a scavenger race. Not of this world or any world known. They follow a cult of death.”

 

Bruce nods.

 

“Okay, really siding with you big guy on the whole: Let's not let the death worshipers have an unlimited source of power, thing, yeah, with you on that one.” Tony concedes.

 

“I'm not really sure we should be imposing our cultural values on others.” Natasha primly weighs in.

 

Loki stares at her in astonishment. “Is this a Midgardian thing?”

 

Thor nods and rolls his eyes. “Yes, odd isn't it?”

 

“Extremely.”

 

Loki has stopped pacing and instead is standing almost next to his brother.

 

“So,” he says to Thor. “What would you have me do?”

 

Thor sighs. “I know not. Use the tesseract to pay for some other army.”

 

Loki rolls his eyes. “As though it's so easy to find someone-”

 

Thor frowns. “The Light Elves of Alfheim have their golden army, the Dwarves of Niddavellir could build you your own army, and those are our allies. The Fire people of Muspelheim would no doubt over look the old enimity in favour of profit.”

 

“Yes let's give the Fire Giants who HATE us an unlimited and dangerous source of power, truly that's an excellent idea.”

 

“Better them than the Chitauri.”

 

Loki grimaces “Yes. The Mighty Thor knows better now doesn't he?”

 

Thor looks exhausted. “I do not wish this world to burn Loki. Find some other way.”

 

The storms are losing their power. Though they still swirl around the carrier.  

 

Thor could feel them in his chest. Restless, they had gathered to comfort him in his distress.

 

He wished he could wrap himself up in them and sleep for a thousand years. He had missed Loki so terribly but he had not thought to consider Loki's wrath.

 

Loki scoffs. “As though it is so easy Thor. What are you so vainglorious you will not concede that mine is the simplest plan to achieve our ends?”

 

Thor groans and buries his head in his hands.

 

The 'Avengers' such as they are, exchange concerned glances.

 

The storm outside quiets.

 

There's a few minutes of silence and then the sound an explosion rocks the ship.

 

Loki turns on his heel. “We'd best be going brother.” he says acidly.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People talk a lot in this chapter and it's kind of short. Sorry about that. Things are about to get a bit cray-cray but just how much, I have yet to decide. Please Comment! This is a WIP and I occasionally need a bit of motivation. 
> 
> PS: Catch the reference to the other comic book movie and receive a virtual cookie!


	6. A Question of Ethics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Thor Argue.

Thor doesn't know what to do. The years have granted him wisdom and love and empathy. They seem to have granted his brother only rage.

 

Their ferocity has always been something that they shared- two boys who when they dared would often go too far.

Of course it was in different ways. Thor's rage would find him breaking bones and cracking the stone flags in the floor.

 

Loki's spite would find petty revenges played out on such as scale as to dwarf the original slight.

 

If their angers were ever directed at a single target it always ended terribly for the poor sod.

 

But that is not who they are. Not really. Thor is more than thunder and rages and the brutal strength in his arm. Loki is more than his spite and cruelty and vengeance. Loki is kind, and quiet and clever, and funnier than any of Thor's other courtly companions.

 

Thor needs Loki to _be_ Loki. Not to be his rage. But where Thor has had some measure of comfort and purpose in his exile, Loki has only had his anger and his loneliness and his vindictive cruel streak to keep him warm at night. And it seems those things have burned away all else that once made his brother something more than a walking maelstrom.

 

 

Thor still trudges wearily after his brother though. As Loki, strides like the god-prince he is through the Helicarrier his minions with their strange blue eyes clear his path and damage the ship as they go. There's a roar behind them and Loki looks over his shoulder with a too familiar grin.

 

It is the grin of mischief managed, of sneaking out all night and returning to bed before anyone is the wiser. Of successful spells and finally achieved victory in the arena.

 

It is the look Thor's little brother used to give him as they planned on the days they too would be as great as their father and would together work wonders.

 

Thor understands it. But there is death and destruction as chaos around him and as much as he has hated these people, he has known them. This is their realm and it is Loki and him who are the trespassers.

 

He follows his brother to the jet and watches in sadness as the floating fortress leans violently to one side and then to another.

 

There is fire on board and danger and death. It is unlikely they will make it to the ground in safety.

 

Thor is sitting across from his friend the Hawk, but the man does not seem to recognize him.

 

Thor sighs and feels the clouds gathering and darkening outside, worried for their beloved little god.

 

Loki shoots him a cutting look. “Stop that you dramatic oaf.”

 

Thor pulls a face but makes an effort to banish the weather with false reassurances all the same.

 

Thor heaves a heavy sigh. “So brother, tell me, what truly is your plan?”

 

There something dangerous in Loki right now. Something that is everything his brother has always been intensified. He is more himself than he has ever been perhaps, but he's drowned out the cautious kindly young man who smiled uncertainly and could only find the right words when it didn't matter to him.

 

He is instead what everyone has always said he was: Strange and cruel and dangerous.

 

He smiles that same smile. The one Thor knows so well. “I plan to rule this little world, and use it to strike out at the Dark Elves.”

 

Thor wants to laugh but everything hurts too much. “The humans have nothing with which we could combat the Dark Elves. I'm telling you brother, you have the cube, let's away to Alfheim and hire out their famous golden army. It was not yet forged when our Grandfather slew the the Dark Elves. There is good cause to believe it can defeat them.”

 

Loki sneers. “The Elves have little cause to care about the fate of the Aesir.”

 

“How can you be sure?”

 

“BECAUSE I ASKED!!” Loki bellows. “I crawled hat in hand to every great king and general in the nine realms and there was not a SINGLE ONE OF THEM WHO WOULD HELP ME!!!”

 

Thor looks at his brother sadly. “But, now we have something of value to trade. Don't you see?”

 

Loki sneers. “You think me fool enough to hand over a weapon that may burn worlds to a race that would happily burn us?”

 

“Please, Loki.”

 

Loki shakes his head. “Or do you simply want the credit?” he hisses.

 

Thor recoils as if he has been slapped. “No, bother that-”

 

“It makes sense of course. You have always needed the glory-”

 

“You misunderstand me brother-”

 

“Do I?” Loki bites out. “It seems perhaps I see you clearly for the first time. You are too weak to do what is necessary, but too vain to allow someone else to do it!”

 

Thor stares at his brother. In all the long long years of their lives they have never turned on each other like this. They had quarrelled of course, and fought, but it had never been serious. It had never been in moments when it mattered.

 

He is too tired for such follies. He wants to call up another great storm to comfort himself with. He wants to weep.

 

Instead he grimaces at his brother. “Have you lost mind? I owe this world guest right!”

 

“They broke it first brother.” Loki sneers. “You've simply gone soft.”

 

“Please Loki.” Thor begs.

 

Loki pauses and seems to take a long moment to really look at his brother. He reaches out a gentle hand a brushes some of Thor's mussed hair away from his face.

 

“Yes, you're still weak and wounded. It was wrong of me to expect so much of you so soon after your imprisonment.”

 

Thor nods in relief. “I'll rest a little while brother and then we can speak of this again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how I said there was going to be action soon? Turns out I lied. Sorry for no update in a while. RL is currently kicking my ass.
> 
> Also, I just love writing these two arguing. It's fun.


	7. Agreements between Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Thor come to an agreement.

He wakes up the next morning to the sound of Loki talking. No, not talking- arguing, equivocating. The same old song and dance he always uses when he's dealing with someone he doesn't like. Thor has heard it a thousand times if he's heard it once. The cold voice, the calm, the viciousness.

 

“I don't threaten.” Loki states mildly.

 

Thor sits up and stares at his brother as he paces the room. He's alone with his scepter in hand. He looks deranged.

 

There's a moment where Loki goes stiff, and then jerks away from something so hard he ends up crouched on the floor breathing hard.

 

“Loki?”

 

Loki's head whips around at Thor's voice.

 

“Brother.” he says coolly. As though he had not just been deliberating and bargaining with an empty room.

 

“What is happening?”

 

Loki waves his spear. “This is an infinity stone. I am able to communicate with the Other through it.”

 

Thor stares wide eyed. “So, you plan to continue with your schemes.”

 

Loki scoffs. “Perhaps, if there is truly no other course to take. But I have been considering my position all night. You are right.”

 

Thor thinks he must be delirious. Loki never thinks his plans are clever.

 

“To trade the cube to Chitauri would be madness. They could ravage the galaxy, but the Light Elves and their Golden army are considerably less of a threat. Asgard has bested them before and could do it again I'm sure.”

 

“So, you will spare the Earth.”

 

“Hardly” Loki's scorn is palpable.

 

“What will you do?”

 

“We can choose the battlefield. I choose this one.”

 

“You mean to draw the Dark Elves away from Asgard?”

 

“No, but I mean to meet the Light Elves here, thus if Thanos should attack, it would be child's play to elude him until I could slip away between the worlds. Even the mad titan could not follow me.”

 

Thor gulps. “Does he suspect your betrayal?”

 

“The Other knows I hide something from him. Hopefully all he'll discover is that you live dear brother.”

“I wish to leave here. There is a woman. Jane, she sought to free me and -”

 

“Out of the question.” Loki's tone is gentle as though speaking to a spooked horse but Thor recognizes this mood, and it is a dangerous one.

 

“Could I at least send word to her that I am well?”

 

Loki pauses to consider him. “No.”

 

Thor nods and stands. Now that he is calm enough to consider himself and his surroundings he realizes how weak he is, how unsteady he feels.

 

By Odin, how long had he been chained to that bed?

 

Finally, he looks at Loki again. “Have you contacted the Elves yet?”

 

Loki shakes his head. “I thought it best I wait until you were recovered enough to accompany me. You've always been the more popular son of Odin.”

 

Thor smiles at his brother. “Only because I was the least dangerous.”

 

That is enough to break Loki's face into a wide smile. And that is the little brother he has missed, more familiar than Thor's own face, twice as clever, just as cruel.

 

“Oh, I missed you.” Loki says as though he's surprised and intrigued by his own reaction.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is short and late, but I liked ending it here. I thought it worked. Hopefully I'll have another chapter up soon. I'm trying to square away my WiPs before the end of my break from school.


	8. Going Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor runs away with Clint and makes it back to Jane. Loki does what he wants.

 

Thor wakes up on a hard cot in a cool damp basement. He is tired and wants nothing so much as to weep into the arms of someone who would protect him.

 

But there is only Loki.

 

Loki, who Thor remembers, has become too wild and too sharp and too cruel to hold anyone for any purpose but to stab them in the back. Loki who's threatened to sell him to his enemies.

 

Loki who won't let Thor go find Jane and who has the Hawk under a spell.

 

Somewhere far far over head Thor knows the clouds are stirring. Not gathering yet but, considering. Fretful weather is the worst kind.

 

It is then that Thor remembers the Hawk and his blank bright blue eyes.

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------

It takes him some time to find his friend but after that it takes next to no time to break the spell and grab a jeep.

 

“So where are we goin'?” Clint asks head smarting as he lolls in the passenger seat too stunned to wonder when exactly it was Thor learned to drive.

 

“New Mexico.” Thor rasps.

 

“Your brother going to come after us?”

 

Thor shrugs. “It is likely.”

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

Thor screams across the country in a whirlwind of pounding rain, roaring thunder and crackling lightning. Clint would like to sleep on the but there's something uncontrolled about this weather, and something ragged and wild in Thor that Clint hasn't seen before.

 

It's painful to see it, because when Clint looks at Thor he can still see the kid he first met. Young and painfully trusting with too long hair. Physically Thor hasn't aged a day in the decade or more since Clint first met him. Sure, he's thinner, and his hair has been raggedly shorn, but in a photograph he wouldn't look a day older, but,sitting next to him he _feels_ older. It feels a bit like standing in the Acropolis and for the first time Clint wonders just how long Thor has lived, what he's seem, what cosmic mysteries are locked in that deceptively kind and pretty head of his.

 

Thor pulls over and rests his head against the stearing wheel. Clint is momentarily blinded as lightning strikes the car.

 

Thor is weeping and he fears he will never stop. He is weeping for himself, for whom life has been cruel and for Loki for whom life had been crueler. He feels the absence of his mother like the ache of a missing limb and he misses his little brother- who was broken by the callous cruelty of strangers and who exists only in a strange and twisted echo of the boy he once was.

 

Clint touches Thor's arm.

 

“Listen buddy, If you like I can drive.”

 

Thor nods and they switch seats. The rain dies down to the calming patter of an ordinary shower and Thor stares pensively out the window seemingly lost in thought.

 

Clint has plenty of questions but he knows better than to ask. Not when Thor was dragged out of a SHIELD facility. Not when he's had Thor's little brother in his head and knows now that all the stories Thor had told, which everyone had laughed at and no one believed, were true. Not when he can see the toll Thor's imprisonment has taken on his body, the thinness of his face, the wasting of his muscular arms, the gauntness of his face.

 

So, he drives as long as he can and when he can't anymore he pulls over, takes a piss and then shakes Thor awake so he can take a turn at the wheel.

 

They drive and keep driving, switching when they need to.

 

They don't stop until they get to New Mexico.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Jane had wanted to stop her research to focus on looking for Thor, but Erik had talked her out of it. He'd mentioned that Thor had always supported her and more than that he had genuinely loved and been facinated by her work. He wouldn't want her to stop, Erik says with paternal understanding and a comforting hand on her shoulder.

 

But, Jane will not be comforted, and if she's going to keep looking at the fluxtuations of space and time then she's damn well going to keep looking for her boyfriend.

 

So, she's been living like she's working two full-time jobs. One in science and one in politics and human rights. She's found the people who have the background, appropriate political sympathies and clout to get the results she needs and she leans on them as much a genius studying astrophysics and living out of a trailer behind a refurbished gas station can.

 

But, it's been an awful long time since Thor walked out of the grocery store with the man in the suit and there's been no sign of him anywhere since then. Not a whisper, not a word.

 

So, depite the brave face she puts on whenever anybody asks (and the people of Puerto Antigua are a kind and welcoming bunch so they do ask), she's beginning to lose hope that she'll ever learn what happened to Thor- let alone see him again.

 

It weighs on her as she goes about her work in the old gas station. She's going over some of her atmospheric readings when she feels a shift in the air and looks up to see a huge bank of dark clouds on the horizon, sheets of rain streaking down from them. She frowns, it's the wrong season for rain in this part of the world. She stands at the window and watches at the clouds move closer, soon there's a light patter on the window, and then a steady thrum of a rain storm. There's lightning flickering overhead and she's so caught up in gawking at this strange and unexpected thunder storm that it takes her a moment to notice the car skidding to a halt in from of the gas station.

 

It catches her eye when two men come tumbling out. They seem in a rush, one holds his arms over his head and the other just sort of stands there leaning against the car. They're both blonde with short hair, and the one closest to her (whose body is not blocked by the car) seems to be wearing some sort of military uniform. She wonders if they've mistaken the building for a functional gas station.

 

They start heading towards her and she frowns as she takes in the taller, blonder man. Once he comes around from behind the car it's clear he's wearing only a flimsy hospital gown, and no shoes.

 

He meets her gaze through the window and the rain and Jane's heart stops for a moment and then she is scrambling at the door and racing through the rain towards him. She throws herself at him and is surprised when he staggers slightly at the force of her jump. Then she feels how slight he is under her arms, she looks up into his face and sees how gaunt it is and how tired he looks and she wishes she could make whoever did this pay.

Thor smiles at her, buries his face in her hair and holds her tight.

 

The rain stops as strangely and as suddenly as it began. Thor is smiling so brightly, even though he's crying, and Jane guides him inside to the couch and starts making him a coffee.

 

He introduces his friend as 'Clint' who helped him escape, and he mentions that his little brother found him for a while but Thor left him to come here.

 

Jane nods and tries to pay attention but keeps getting distracted and teary eyed at the sight of Thor being real, and _there_ on her couch when she'd made her peace with never seeing him again.

 

The next few days fly by like a strange dream. Thor's friend Clint hangs around 'just in case', and Thor sleeps a lot and eats a lot and Jane spends an inordinate ammount of time holding onto him because she is never letting him go again if that's what it's going to take to keep him here and keep him safe.

 

A little more than a week after Thor's mysterious reappearance news starts coming in from New York, there's a hole in the sky and things are coming through- apparently?

 

The three of them sit in silence together as they watch the footage, Thor is curled around her resting his head on her shoulder.

 

There's an image on the screen, very briefly, of a young pale dark haired man in some very strange clothing. Clint clicks his tongue at it. “Well, Thor, looks like little bro had bigger fish to fry and didn't have time to go chasing after little ol' us.” he jokes.

 

“What?” Jane asks, trying to pretend she hasn't just felt Thor tense up at Barton's words.

 

“That kid on the screen's Thor's little brother.”

 

Thor's little brother had opened up a doorway in time and space? As an astrophysist there are a whoole lot of questions that Jane would like to be asking right now, but as a girlfriend it's clearly more important that Thor is currently trying to pretend he's not crying into the collar of her shirt.

 

She wraps an arm around him and holds him close, but doesn't say anything.

 

Questions can wait, the answers don't really matter anyway, not when Thor is here, and he's real and he's back.

 

For good she hopes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So remember when I promised action? And regular updates? Guess who's a lying liar that lies. 
> 
> Sorry. 
> 
> I'm going to leave this story here, because I think that's about as far as it can go for now and I'm more or less satisfied with this as a conclusion. Part of me wants to rewrite the whole series but I am flighty and that would be a lot of work. So, yeah. I hope you guys (those few of you who didn't give up on this story) are satisfied with this. One day I swear I'll write a happy ending. It's got to happen eventually.


End file.
